Jared Anderson is a little tired of answering the same questions. In late February, he was allegedly involved in a high-speed chase with police that resulted in the promising 24-year-old undefeated heavyweight from Toledo, Ohio, crashing into a road median. No one was injured. Anderson summed it up in a highly accountable way, “Hey, people make mistakes. I’m human. Lesson learned. It’s over.”

It is.

His career arc continues to trend upwards, as does Anderson’s quest for the world heavyweight championship in a field filled with older fighters, many of whom are on the other end of their apex.

This Saturday night (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) on ESPN/ESPN+, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Anderson (16-0, 15 knockouts) will make his 2024 debut against Ryad Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) from the American Bank Center, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Anderson, The Ring’s No. 7-ranked heavyweight, plans on fighting four times this year, after victories over George Arias (KO 3), Charles Martin (W 10) and Andrii Rudenko (KO 5) in 2023.

“It is what it is, and I’m more than sick of answering (the same) questions, but it comes with mistakes, and you have to talk about them,” said Anderson, in reference to what happened in February. “This is my first time in the ring this year; I would like to get in the ring as many times as possible (in 2024), possibly as many as four times. I don’t know how to put it on a scale, but I feel I have improved in a lot of ways, and different ways, my mindset most importantly. I’m trying to be a boxer 24/7. I’m trying to eat better, and train when I don’t have a fight. Shakur Stevenson has been a huge impact on that, and I follow along. I suppose the biggest thing I had to give up was ice cream.”

When “The Real Big Baby” looks at the heavyweight landscape, Anderson says he sees “a throne for the taking. I think I fit in well. I just have to wait for opportunities, when those opportunities come up, especially when everyone thinks you are a real threat. I feel like that is the position I am in. I’m going to have to force people to fight me and continue doing that until the (sanctioning bodies) will mandate fights. We’ll continue with the level of opponents we are fighting now.”

Anderson said he knows Merhy was a better cruiserweight than he is a heavyweight. Merhy is 5-foot-11½, going the 6-foot-4 Anderson with his 78½-inch reach. He saw Merhy beat former 2016 super heavyweight Olympic champion Tony Yoka by 10-round split-decision in his last fight.

“He has to deal with me now,” Anderson said. “I’m someone who will actually punch back, and everyone will see that Saturday night. As much as defense wins games, offense in boxing is what attracts crowds, and what is most key. My goal is to become a more complete fighter, because I want people to know that they have to deal with different aspects of me. You have to figure out different ways to break the code, because I’m good at all angles.”

The other considerable stride Anderson is taking are his responsibilities outside the ring. He is highly intelligent, highly engaging, and actually a very funny guy, away from the microphones and jutting cameras and when he is feeling relaxed. It is a side of his personality many do not see, yet it is there. What is also arriving is his first child, who is scheduled to be born sometime late this summer. Anderson said that has led to a seismic change in his life.

He admits he does not exactly like doing media, though he realizes it is part of getting his persona out there to the public.

“To start out with, I definitely still hate these,” Anderson said laughing. “But I have evolved a lot. I am better at this (laughs). I have grown a lot outside the ring as a person. That is what matters the most. The more I grow outside the ring has helped me grow more inside the ring. Maturity has come from life experiences. Now that I have a child along the way that plays a huge part in settling me down and thinking more about my life choices.

“For me, it’s an energy thing. If someone is respectful to me, I am respectful to them. I am a very private person. I have things going on in my life that I don’t share. That’s my business. I am human and people don’t care about me as a person, they care about who is the next champion, or who is the next this. That does not matter to me.

“The plan is to be in the ring as many times as possible (this year). You are going to sharpness on Saturday night, quick feet and thanks to P.J. Brewer, who has been a great addition to the camp, a lot more defense. Expect to see the best version of Jared Anderson.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito

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